Display poster



R. C. NEFF DISPLAY POSTER March 15, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed July 5, 1962 INVENTOR.

ROBERT C. NEFF ATTORNEYS March 15, 1966 R. c. NEFF 3,240,130

DISPLAY POSTER Original Filed July 5, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 log T INVENTOR. i ROBERT c. NEFF hil 57 1 BY ,wagmw ATTORNEYS March 15, 1966 R. c. NEFF' 3,240,130

DISPLAY POSTER Original Filed July 5, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 FIG-6 8o INVENTOR.

ROBERT C. NEFF ATTORNEYS March 15, 1966 R. c. NEFF 3,240,130

DISPLAY POSTER Criginal Filed July 5, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

FIG 10 INVENTOR.

ROBERT C. NEFF ATTORNEYS United States atent C) 3,240,134) DESPLAY POSTER Robert Carl Nelf, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to Neil Folding Box Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application July 3, 1962, Ser. No. 207,203, new Patent No. 3,191,327, dated June 29, 1965. Divided and this application Jan. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 425,025 Claims. (Cl. 93-1) This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 207,203, filed July 3, 1962 for Display Poster, now Patent No. 3,191,327, issued June 29, 1965.

The invention relates to advertising devices, and particularly to a display poster and the method of producing the same.

The present practice in making advertising display cards or posters contemplates first printing the advertising literature on a thin sheet of high quality paper and then laminating this printed paper on one side of a heavy piece of suitable newsboard. In order to prevent warping, another sheet of this paper of the same high quality is laminated to the opposite side of the newsboard to balance the stresses imposed on the first side by the printed sheet. Next an easel of chipboard which has been formed in an entirely separate operation is manually glued to the unprinted or reverse side of the poster for use in holding the poster in an erected position. The cost of the finished poster is relatively high since both sides of the poster are laminated with an expensive paper, and the process involves several difierent and comparatively slow manual operations requiring the use of a relatively large number of experienced and skilled workmen.

It is accordingly an important object of this invention to provide a display poster which can be produced automatically at a rate higher than heretofore known, and at a cost substantially below that of present day processes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method of producing a display poster of the aforesaid type in a completely automatic and continuous manner, and particularly to provide apparatus and method for manufacturing a completed poster in a ready-for-shipping condition from a sheet of paperboard.

A further object of this invention is to provide a high speed method of producing display posters without requiring lamination, which includes the printing of the advertising material and the formation of an integral easel on the back of the poster.

Another object of this invention is to provide a display poster made from a sheet of paperboard coated on one side only, and specifically to provide a poster of the aforesaid type which is sufficiently rigid for mounting in an erected position, is resistant to warping, and which minimizes the scrap produced in its production.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dis play poster made from a sheet of coated paperboard or the like and having an integral easel on one side thereof, and particularly to provide a poster of this type which can be easily folded in half for shipment without detracting from the strength or appearance when the poster is erected.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of apparatus for making the display poster of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of one embodiment of a display poster showing the back side thereof in an unfolded condition;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the rear side of the poster after the gluing and folding operations;

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FIG. 4 is a sectional view essentially along the line 44 of FIG. 2 showing a crease score used along one edge of the poster;

FIG. 5 is a view quite similar to FIG. 4 taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3 showing this crease in its folded position;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the poster in its erected position;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view essentially along the line 77 of FIG. 3 showing the easel in its open position;

FIG. 8 is a rear elevation view of the back side of another embodiment of the display poster;

FIG. 9 is a front elevation View of the poster shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a view quite similar to FIG. 8, but showing the easel in its folded position;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the easel of FIG. 8 in its erected position; and

FIG. 12 is another perspective view showing the front side of the poster in its partially fold-ed position.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention, FIG. 1 shows schematically the apparatus used to manufacture the hereinafter de scribed display posters P and PP (FIGS. 6 and 11). Thus the individual rectangular sheets or blanks 10 of bendable paperboard, preferably clay coated on one side only, are moved from the stack 11 to the printing apparatus 12, for example, a high speed rotary sheet fed offset printing press, which applies print 14 to a central section 16 of the coated side of the sheet 10a. It is contemplated that a single or multi-color letter press or a gravure press may be used in place of the offset press.

The paperboard sheets 10a subsequently are moved to a die mechanism or reciprocating action press 20 which trims, cuts, and scores each of the blanks in the manner shown in FIG. 2. Specifically, the die mechanism 20 includes a number of steel cutters 23 mounted in the lower die member 25 and arranged so that when the blank 10a is forced downwardly thereagainst by the upper the member 26, the edges of the blank are trimmed as shown in FIG. 2.

The trimmed blank lllb is substantially rectangular with a narrow strip 28 at each end of the left-hand flap 30 and at the top of the right-hand flap 32 being removed so that a small amount of misalignment during the folding of these flaps onto the display section 33 will not cause the edges of the flaps to project above or below the to and bottom horizontal edges of the display section 33.

The die mechanism 20 also forms the creases or scores 35 at the juncture of the flaps 30 and 32 with the display section 33. As shown in FIG. 4, these creases comprise an indented portion 36 formed on the coated side 38 of the blank 1012 by a male die member (not shown) on the die member 26, and a raised portion 39 on the opposite side of the blank formed by a suitable complementary fem-ale die member (not shown) on the die member 25. The creases 35 are such that when a thin layer of glue 40 is applied to the uncoated sides of the flaps 30 and 32, and these flaps are folded onto the back of the display section 33, the square uniform edges 42 (see FIG. 5) are produced along each vertical edge of the finished posters thus enhancing the aesthetic characteristics, as well as the structural rigidity of the display posters.

The die mechanism 20 also forms an easel 45 in the right-hand flap 32 by cutting the score line 46 to define one side of the easel and by forming the crease or fold line 47 to define the other side edge and provide a hinge connection between between the easel 45 and the flap 32. The score line 46 almost completely severs this edge of the easel 45 from the flap 32 with the exception of a few areas 48, and consequently the easel can be easily separated by hand from the flap during erection of the poster P. While the use of the connected areas 48 is preferred since they aid in the manufacture and subsequent handling of the poster P, a cut which completely severs the easel 45 from the flap 32 could be used in lieu of the score line 46 without departing from the scope of the invention.

The lock tab 50, which is also formed in the righthand flap 32 by the die mechanism 20, includes a horizontal fold. line 51 on the bottom edge thereof, and the edges 52 on the other three sides thereof are completely severed from the flap 32 so that it may be pivoted about the fold line 51 to a horizontal position. The notch 54 which is cut in the outer periphery of the lock tab, and the rounded projection 55 in the easel 45, cooperate to lock the easel in its erected position, as will be described. A tapered section is also cut from the bottom edge 57 of the right-hand flap 32 below the easel 45 so that when the poster P is erected the easel 45 will support it at a slight angle with the vertical thus giving it stability in this erected position.

While a particular form of die mechanism has been illustrated, it should be understood that this is merely a schematic showing and that other known devices can be adapted to perform the above described operations of trimming, cutting, and scoring. For example, one of the die members and 26 could be replaced with suitable rollers having the die elements thereon to perform the above described operations on the blank 10b. In each case, a resilent material is provided on each of the die members so that the blank 10b will be stripped from the die cutter and other die elements when the die members are separated.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the blank 10b is moved from the die mechanism 20 onto a gluing conveyor 60 comprising the endless chains 61, or their equivalent, and having the lugs 63 thereon for engaging and moving each blank 10b at a predetermined rate along the conveyor beneath the glue rollers 64 and 65 which are driven in timed relation with the movement of the conveyor 60 and the blanks 10b. The left-hand roller 64 applies an even coat of glue 40 (shaded areas of FIG. 2) over the entire surface of the left-hand flap 30, while the righthand roller 65 has a cutout portion 66 which corresponds in shape to the easel 45 so that glue is applied to the right-hand flap 32 except that in the area of the easel 45. It should be understood that other known spot gluers can be substituted for the glue rollers 64 and 65 so long as they carry out the functional requirements set forth above.

From the gluing station the blanks 100 are moved to a folding station wherein each of the flaps and 32 is folded on the rear side of the display section 33, as shown in FIG. 3. In detail, a blank 10a is transferred from the conveyor 60 to the folding conveyor 70 having the engagement lugs 71 thereon and is moved into engagement with the metal strips 73 which have a precisely predetermined shape for gradually bending each of the flaps 30 and 3-2 to a vertical position and then downwardly into superimposed relation with the rear side of the display section 33 where the glue 40 secures the flaps in this position. It is, however, within the scope of the invent-ion to utilize other known expedients for performing this folding operation, such as, for example, replacing the metal strips 73 with endless belts which pass through a path similar to the configuration of the strips 73.

From the folding station the blanks 10d fall onto the drying conveyor 75 which is moving at a relatively slow speed as compared to the gluing and folding conveyors and 70. This slow rate of movement causes the blanks to overlap somewhat as they move between the upper conveyor 76 which is supported on the rolls 77 and exerts a downward force on the blanks 10d and the lower conveyor 78 supported on the rolls 79, so that the flaps 30 and 32 are pressed against the display section 33 of the posters for a predetermined length of time thus permitting the glue to set and form a uniform connection beween the flaps and the display section 33. The time required for this pressing operation is dependent upon the type of glue being used and is such that the glue is set by the time the posters emerge from the other end so that subsequent handling will not detract from the effectiveness of the glue connections. Of course, the glue used is of the relatively slow drying type so that it does not set or dry prior to the folding operation.

The poster P produced by this method, as shown in FIG. 3, is in a flat position ready for stacking and shipping. When it is desired to erect the poster 10, it is merely necessary to sever the edge 46 of the easel from the flap 32 and pivot the easel 45 about the fold line 47 to a position (FIG. 7) perpendicular to the display section 33. Then the lock flap 50 is rotated to its horizontal position (FIG. 6) wherein the slot 54 engages the projection 55 thus locking the easel in this position. It should be apparent that the flaps 30 and 32 in their glued positions are effectively integrally connected with the display section 33 so that they act as a piece of paperboard having a thickness twice that of the sheets 10. Thus, when the sheets 10 are made from paperboard having a thickness of .025 inch, a poster is produced with a thickness of .050 inch which presents sufficient rigidity for an average size poster, e.g., 14 inches by 20 inches. The area adjacent each of the vertical edges 42, as well as the top edge 80 of the poster P, benefits from this double thickness so that the poster has structural rigidity and resistance to warping in these critical areas, and the area from which the easel 45 is cut is relatively less important so far as the rigidity and warping of the display poster are concerned.

Another embodiment of the poster is shown in FIGS. 8-11 and is specifically adapted to be folded in half so that it can be placed in a small envelope for mailing. The poster FF is made by the aforesaid method and apparatus with minor adaptations, and thus the die mechanism 20 is suitably modified to form a horizontal crease (FIG. 9) through the display section 33a. Also, the score lines 91 are cut partially through the coated side of the flaps 30a and 32a, except through the easel 45a, so that the finished poster FP can be folded in the manner shown in FIG. 12, wherein the upper section 93 of the display section 33a is folded into superimposed relation with the lower section 95. The lines 91 are cut-scored or partially cut through to facilitate bending of the poster in half.

The easel 45a of this embodiment is formed by the die mechanism 20, and is divided into a top 96 and a bottom 98 by the fold or crease line 100 which coincides with the fold line 90 of the display section 330. The easel is connected to the right-hand flap 32a by the fold line 101 which extends through both the sections 93 and 95, and the other edge is defined by the cutscore 103 which substantially severs this edge from the flap 32 except in the areas 105 of the section 95 which aid the handling of the poster, as described above. The top 96 of the easel, which includes the support flap 107, does not have glue applied thereto during the gluing operation so that this portion may be folded into overlapping relation with the bottom 98 (see FIG. 10) when the poster is folded in half, and consequently the connection between the two halves of the easel 45a will not be torn or weakened, as occurs when the top 96 is folded in the opposite direction.

The lower lock flap 50a is formed and operates in a manner substantially identical to the lock flap 50 of the FIG. 6 embodiment. The upper lock member is cut from the right-hand flap 32a immediately above the easel 45a and has two horizontal and parallel crease lines 111 and 112 therein, while the edge 114 which ex tends around the right-hand vertical and top edges thereof is completely severed from the flap 32a so that the member will fold outwardly therefrom. The member 110 has a slot 116 therein for engagement with the projection 117 on the top 96 of the easel 45a, and when in the engaged position the rounded shoulder 118 locks these two members together.

It should now be apparent that the only material differences in the apparatus and method for producing this embodiment are slight modifications in the die mechanism 20 and the gluing operation, and the poster a emerges from the apparatus in the form shown in FIG. 8. It is, however, within the scope of this invention to modify the apparatus to fold this poster PP in half and position the top 96 of the easel 45a in the position, shown in FIG. 10, so that the poster FP is ready for shipment and need not be folded by hand.

To erect the poster FP it is merely necessary to unfold the upper and lower sections 93 and 95 of this poster and fold the top 96 of the easel 45a to the position shown in FIG. 8. Next the easel 45a is moved to a position normal to the poster (see FIG. 7) and the lower lock flap 50a pivoted about its fold line to engage the projection 55a and lock the easel in this position. The upper lock member 110 is then pivoted about its fold lines 111 and 112 so that the slot 116 engages the projection 117. The rounded shoulder 118 resists movement of the lock member 110 from locking engagement with the projection 117. The rectangular support flap 107 is held securely against the rear of the display section 33a since it is integral with the easel 45a along the fold line 101, and with the flap 32a along the fold line 100. When the easel is erected, it securely locks the display section in its upright position and resists forces which tend to fold the poster. The erected poster FP provides structural rigidity and resistance to warping in substantially the same manner as the FIG. 6 embodiment while permitting the poster to be folded in half for shipping without weakening any of the components due to this folding.

It should be apparent that the flaps could be modified so that only one large flap having an area substantially equal to the area of the display section could be used with an integral fold line along one edge of the display section. The easel 45 could be formed therein in the same manner as described above, and in all other instances the poster would be substantially identical to the embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 10.

The method has been described as a continuous process, and it should be appreciated that several of the various steps may be reversed, as well as performed on separate apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the cutting and creasing may be performed prior to the printing, or the trimming operation may be performed in apparatus separate from that which forms the various crease or fold lines.

While the method herein described, the form of appa ratus for carrying this method into effect, and the products or articles produced by the aforesaid method and apparatus, constitute preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise method, form of apparatus, and products, and that changes may be made in each without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for producing a display poster from a sheet of paperboard having a coating on one surface thereof adapted to receive printing thereon, comprising scoring means for forming fold lines in each blank along two opposite edges of the display area to provide flaps on each side thereof, means for forming an easel in at least one of the flaps including a fold connection with the associated flap, means for placing an adhesive on the opposite sides of the flaps except in the area of the easel, guide means for folding the flaps along the fold lines into superimposed relation with the opposite side of the display :area, and means for applying pressure to the fiaps and the display area to insure a secure connection between the flaps and the display area except in the area of said easel.

2. The method of producing a display poster from a paperboard blank coated on one side, comprising the steps of forming two parallel fold lines in each blank to divide the same into a display section and flaps on opposite sides thereof having a total area substantially equal to the area of said display section, forming an easel in at least one of the flaps including a fold connection with the associated flap, placing adhesive on the uncoated side of the flaps except in the area of the easel, folding the flap-s along said fold lines into superimposed relation with the uncoated side of the display section, and pressing said folded flaps against the uncoated side of said blank to secure substantially the entire areas of the adjacent surfaces of the display section and the flaps together except in the area of the easel.

3. The method of producing a display poster from a paperboard blank coated on one side thereof adapted to receiving printing in a display section thereof, comprising the steps of forming fold lines in each blank along two opposite edges of the display section to provide flaps on each side of the section having a total area substantially equal to the area of said display section, forming an easel in at least one of the flaps including :an integral fold connection with the associated flap, folding the flaps along said fold lines into superimposed relation with the uncoated side of the display section, and holding said folded flaps in said superimposed relation to secure substantially the entire areas of the adjacent surfaces of the display section and the flaps together except in the area of the easel.

4. The method of producing a dis-play poster from a sheet of paperboard coated on one side, comprising the steps of applying display material to a central .area of the coated side of the sheet to divide the sheet into a display section having a flap section on at least one side thereof with the flap sections having a total surface area substantially equal to the surface area of the display section, forming an easel in said flap sections having a fold connection with the associated flap section, placing glue on the uncoated side of the flap sections except in the area of the ease], folding the flap sections into Superimposed relation with the uncoated side of the display section, and holding the sections in said superimposed relation to allow the glue to dry thus forming a secure connection between the flap sections and the display section except in the area of the easel.

5. The method of producing a display poster from a sheet of paperboard coated on one side, comprising the steps of applying display material to a central area of the coated side of the sheet to divide the same into a display section with flap sections on either side thereof, removing a portion of the flap sections along the horizontal edges thereof for insuring that these edges will be spaced from the horizontal edges of the display section when the sections are placed in superimposed relation, forming an easel and an associated lock tab in at least one of said flap sections with the easel having a fold connection with the associated flap section for holding the poster in an erected position, placing glue or the like on the uncoated side of the flap sections except on the area of the easel, folding the flap sections into overlying relation with the uncoated side of the display section, and pressing the sec tions together while in said overlying relation to permit the glue to dry thus forming a secure connection between the flap and display sections.

6. The method of producing a dis-play poster from a blank of paperboard or the like, comprising the steps of dividing the blank into display and flap sections, cutting an easel from said flap sections, forming a horizontal fold line through the display and flap sections thus dividing the display section into upper and lower portions and the easel into top and bottom sections, said easel cutting step including the forming of a fold connection between the bottom section of the easel and the lower portion and a cut around the remaining edges of the easel so that the top section will fold into overlying relation with the bottom section, forming cooperating lock members in the flap sections and easel for locking the easel in an erected position to hold the poster in an upright position, folding the flap sections into overlying relation with the one side of said display section, and securing the adjacent surfaces of the display and flap sections together except in the are-a of the easel.

7. The method of producing a display poster from a paperboard blank or the like, comprising the steps of applying display material to a display section area on one side of the blank, forming at least one fold line in the blank along at least one edge of the display section to provide at least one flap adjacent the display section, cutting an easel in one of the flaps, forming a horizontal fold line through the display section and the flaps thus dividing the display section into upper and lower portions and the easel into top and bottom sections, said easel cutting step including the forming of a vertical fold connection between the bottom section of the easel and the lower portion and a cut around the remaining edges of the easel so that the top section will fold into superimposed relation with the bottom section, forming cooperating lock members in the upper portion and top section for locking the easel in an erected position to hold the poster in an upright position, folding the flaps along said fold lines into superimposed relation with the opposite side of the display section, and securing the adjacent surfaces of the display section and the flaps together except in the area of the easel.

8. The method of producing a display poster from a paperboard blank of relatively thin paperboard having an uncoated side substantially incapable of legibly receiving ink printing and a coated side with a print receiving coating thereon for receiving ink, comprising the steps of applying print to a central display section of said coated side by a high speed printing press, forming a pair of parallel fold lines in the blank along the edges of the display section to define a pair of flaps adjacent the display section, cutting an easel in one of the flaps, forming a horizontal fold line through the display section and the flaps thus dividing the display section and flaps into upper and lower portions and the easel into top and bottom sections, said easel cutting step including the forming of a vertical fold connection between the bottom section of the easel and the lower portion and a cut around the remaining edges of the easel so that the top section will fold into superimposed relation with the bottom section, forming cooperating lock members in the upper portion and top section for locking the easel in an erected position to hold the poster in an upright position, applying adhesive to the uncoated side of said flaps except on said easel, folding the flaps along said fold lines into superimposed relation with the uncoated side of the display section, and holding the adjacent uncoated surfaces of the display section and the flaps together except in the area of the easel to provide a poster of rigid lightweight construction capable of being folded in half for shipment.

9. The continuous and high speed method of producing display posters from paperboard blanks of relatively thin paperboard having an uncoated side substantially incapable of legibly receiving ink printing and a coated side with a print receiving coating thereon for receiving ink, comprising the steps of applying print to a central display section of the coated side of each poster by a high speed printing press, forming a pair of parallel fold lines in the blank along the edges of the display section to define a pair of flaps adjacent the display section, and having a combined area substantially equal to the area of the display section, cutting an easel in one of the flaps, said easel cutting step including the forming of a vertical fold connection between one edge of the easel and the attached flap and a cut around the remaining edges of the easel so that the easel will fold perpendicular to the attached flap, forming cooperating lock members in the attached flap and the easel for locking the easel in an erected position to hold the poster in an upright position, applying adhesive to the uncoated side of said flaps except on said easel, folding the flaps along the fold lines into superimposed relation with the uncoated side of the display section, and holding the adjacent uncoated surfaces of the display section and the flaps together except in the area of the easel to provide a poster of rigid lightweight construction capable of being folded in half for shipment.

10. The method of producing a display poster from a paperboard blank of relatively thin paperboard having an uncoated side substantially incapable of legibly receiving ink printing and a coated side with a print receiving coating thereon for receiving ink, comprising the steps of applying print to a central display section of said coated side by a high speed printing press, forming a fold line in the blank along the edge of the display section to define integral flap means adjacent the display section, cutting an easel in the flap means, forming a horizontal fold line through the display section and the flap means thus dividing the display section and flap means into upper and lower portions and the easel into the top and bottom sections, said easel cutting step including the forming of a vertical fold connection between the bottom section of the easel and the lower portion and a cut around the remaining edges of the easel so that the top section will fold into superimposed relation with the bottom section, forming cooperating lock members in the upper portion and top section for locking the easel in an erected position to hold the poster in an upright position, applying adhesive to the uncoated side of the flap means except on said easel, folding the flap means along said fold line into superimposed relation with the uncoated side of the display section, and holding the adjacent uncoated surfaces of the display section and the flap means together except in the area of the easel to provide a poster of rigid lightweight construction capable of being folded in half for shipment.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,029,158 1/1936 Clarke 40-l24.1 2,803,076 8/1957 Viglietta 40152.1 X 2,834,135 5/1958 Clarke 40-152.l 2,986,078 5/1961 Hottendorf 9352 FRANK E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner. 

2. THE METHOD OF PRODUCING A DISPLAY POSTER FROM A PAPERBOARD BLANK COATED ON ONE SIDE, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF FORMING TWO PARALLEL FOLD LINES IN EACH BLANK TO DIVIDE THE SAME INTO A DISPLAY SECTION AND FLAPS ON OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF HAVING A TOTAL AREA SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE AREA OF SAID DISPLAY SECTION, FORMING AN EASEL IN AT LEAST ONE OF THE FLAPS INCLUDING A FOLD CONNECTION WITH THE ASSOCIATED FLAP, PLACING ADHESIVE ON THE UNCOATED SIDE OF THE FLAPS EXCEPT IN THE AREA OF THE EASEL, FOLDING THE FLAPS ALONG SAID FOLD LINES INTO SUPERIMPOSED RELATION WITH THE UNCOATED SIDE OF THE DISPLAY SECTION, AND PRESSING SAID FOLDED FLAPS AGAINST THE UNCOATED SIDE OF SAID BLANK TO SECURE SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE AREAS OF THE ADJACENT SURFACES OF THE DISPLAY SECTION AND THE FLAPS TOGETHER EXCEPT IN THE AREAS OF THE EASEL. 